Betaine Anhydrous
CAS 107-43-7 C5H11NO2
- CAS number
- 107-43-7
- EC number
- 203-490-6
- Formula
- C5H11NO2
- Molar mass
- 117.15 g/mol
- Appearance
- White crystalline powder or granule, odourless and faintly sweet; hygroscopic; highly soluble in water; decomposes above ~245 °C rather than melting cleanly.
- HS code
- 2923.90
Betaine anhydrous is trimethylglycine — the amino acid glycine carrying three methyl groups on its nitrogen, which leaves the molecule electrically neutral overall but strongly polar. Two properties follow from that structure, and between them they account for everywhere the material is used. Those three methyl groups make it a methyl donor, which is why the largest tonnage goes into animal feed, sparing methionine and choline, and why it appears in human nutrition products. Its polarity makes it a compatible solute: it holds water inside a cell under osmotic, heat or salt stress without disturbing the enzymes working around it, which is what it is doing in a skin cleanser, in a fermentation broth and on a drought-stressed crop alike. It was first isolated from sugar beet, Beta vulgaris, which is where the name comes from and still where most of it originates. Ehlinar supplies feed, food, cosmetic and agricultural grades, in the uncarried, water-soluble-carrier and silica-carried presentations, against your assay and flow requirement.
Applications
Grades & packaging
One molecule, sold to several standards: feed, food, cosmetic and agricultural grades. Independently of grade it is traded in three presentations that differ only in what is carried alongside the active — uncarried ~98%, ~98% with a water-soluble carrier, and ~97% with silicon dioxide as a free-flow aid. Specify grade, presentation and assay basis.
- 25 kg PE-lined bags
- 500–1000 kg bulk bags
How we supply
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA), lot-specific where available
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS)
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
- Certificate of Origin / Certificate of Conformity
Independent third-party inspection can be arranged on request, with the agency and scope agreed per trade. Representative samples can be requested for qualification, subject to supplier availability. We recommend incoming quality control against the agreed CoA.
Quoted on standard Incoterms (e.g. EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP) as agreed per trade. Delivery region, packaging and grade are confirmed per quote.
Documents and services above are subject to supplier availability and confirmed per quote; nothing here is an offer.
Typical / indicative values — not a binding specification
| Property | Typical |
|---|---|
| Assay, dried basis (uncarried) | ≥98% |
| Assay, dried basis (silica-carried) | ≥97%, with SiO₂ up to ~2% |
| Loss on drying | ≤2% |
| Water solubility | High |
| Decomposition | Above ~245 °C |
Also known as
Trimethylglycine · TMG · Glycine betaine · N,N,N-trimethylglycine · Oxyneurine · Lycine
Frequently asked questions
- Is betaine anhydrous the same as trimethylglycine?
- Yes. Trimethylglycine, TMG, glycine betaine and betaine anhydrous are all the same molecule, CAS 107-43-7. Check the CAS on any offer, because the hydrochloride (590-46-5) and the monohydrate (590-47-6) are different materials with different molar masses.
- Is this the same as cocamidopropyl betaine?
- No, and the names cause real confusion. Cocamidopropyl betaine is a coconut-derived surfactant used in shampoos and body washes. Betaine anhydrous is the small trimethylglycine molecule described here. They are not interchangeable.
- Why do some grades assay 97% instead of 98%?
- Because a flow aid is included in the total. Betaine is hygroscopic and cakes in a dry blend, so a silica carrier at up to about 2% is added to keep it free-flowing. The silica displaces active mass one for one, which is what moves the assay from roughly 98% to roughly 97%.
- Which presentation should I buy?
- It follows the process. Uncarried material gives the most active per tonne and dissolves cleanly, so it suits solution work. A water-soluble carrier keeps that solubility while improving handling. The silica-carried grade is the one for dry blending and premixes, where caking is the risk you are buying against.
- How does betaine help a crop under drought?
- It acts as a compatible solute. The plant accumulates it in the cytoplasm to keep the cell's water balance against a drying or salty soil, and unlike a simple salt it does this without denaturing proteins or disrupting enzyme activity. Applying it to the leaf supplements what the plant makes for itself. Reported field responses vary with crop, timing and how severe the stress is.
- Is betaine approved as a feed additive in the EU?
- Yes. Betaine anhydrous is authorised for all animal species as a nutritional additive under identification number 3a920, in the functional group of chemically well-defined substances with a vitamin-like effect. Betaine hydrochloride is separately authorised as 3a925.
- How should it be stored?
- Cool, dry, and in a tightly closed container. Moisture is the practical enemy: it causes caking and, in a premix, an uneven active. Keep it away from strong alkalis and from prolonged heat.
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Related products
Figures and identifiers here are compiled from public references and provided for general information; they are indicative, not a specification. See all products.